A Darker Black
by anadia
Summary: Father may have been defeated, but he left one child behind. Pride, who has used his power to create a new kind of shadow that is just as lethal as his own. Takes part in the Brotherhood universe. Doctor who will come in later on.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own neither Doctor Who nor Fullmetal Alchemist, just the idea for this story.**

It takes place in Brotherhood, not the 2003 anime.

* * *

It had been 4 years since the Promised Day and the defeat of Father. Ed and Al had both gone their separate ways, Al to the east to research more into alkahestry, and Ed to the west to learn their Alchemy styles, having promised half his life to Winry before leaving. All was well with them, however in the heart of Amestris, trouble was brewing under the unsuspecting noses of those running the country. Raised by the current Fuhrer Grumman and Bradley's wife, Selim Bradley had been leading a secluded life, seemingly unaware of his past and powers.

But nothing so huge as his true identity could remain hidden forever, and no matter what precautions they took, no one can be shielded from their own memories. And so, bit by bit, Selim had slowly begun to remember Pride, and the power it came with. He wasn't so stupid as the reveal this, though, so in the eyes of everyone who saw him he was just the son of the previous Fuhrer who had died protecting the country who had a small ring on his forehead. But there were those who knew the truth, and knew the potential threat he posed.

Shortly after his fourth 'birthday', the killings started. Bodies dotted around the city, having their life sucked out of them. there was no external damage, but all the blood had been sucked from them, by their mouths it appeared. Sometimes in groups, sometimes just singular victims, but never any signs of a struggle, no brutality. The ordinary officers were baffled - there was no pattern to the murders, no style, no particular victims. The killer was indiscriminate and unseen.

After a 2 weeks of murders, totalling 157 across Central, the authorities decided to bring in the State Alchemists. It was decided unanimously among them that the killings were the work of alchemy, but none of them knew what sort. They daren't say human transmutation, for fear that was the case. Only one alchemist, who had been transferred from the eastern Ishvalan region for the rebuilding of their culture, had any definite clue as to what it might be.

"It looks like someone is trying to create a philosopher's stone," General Roy Mustang declared at the investigation meeting, being met with a series of gasps and suspicious glares, "It's the only possible explanation. Someone is or has created a philosopher's stone, and is using the lives of these people to strengthen it. That's why there is no discrimination between victims, and why there is no signs of a physical struggle," he explained calmly, raising his voice only slightly above the frenzied murmurs that had spread throughout the meeting.

"But why would someone want to create a philosopher's stone now? This country has made mass improvements in the past four years, and it is almost universally agreed that the State has become a much fairer, less corrupt government. Who would want to upset that?" a young State Alchemist, one who was well known to be trying to rise the ranks, piped up.

"Someone who does not like the State being fairer," Mustang said simply, and a grave silence fell among the alchemists.

"Do you really think someone is trying to overthrow the State with the creation of a philosopher's stone?" an older, much more timid alchemist asked quietly, and the heads turned to Mustang once more, eyes boring into his skull.

"I can't say for sure, the person may not even be doing this to overthrow us, but if they were, they would have to hold some particular grudge against us to go to such extremes."

* * *

In the Bradley mansion, it was a very quiet day. The guards were stationed outside as usual, and Selim was reading alone in his library. If anyone had cared to ask him what he was reading, he might have replied that it was a storybook, or perhaps a history book. He certainly wouldn't have told them that it was a book detailing the most complex alchemy, or that it held details on how to create a philosopher's stone. But no one asked him. Mainly because there was no one to ask him. His 'mother' had gone on a holiday to the south, and whilst she was free to roam the country, Selim was not permitted to leave Central.

Unbeknownst to the State, however, Mrs Bradley would never reach her destination. Two weeks ago, on the borders of Central, she had vanished, along with all her guards. No one on the train knew she was there, and it was assumed she had arrived at her home there. If anyone had cared to inspect the Bradley household, they would have notice transmutation marks hidden under a large woven rug in one of the reception rooms, along with ones on the underside of the carriage that Mrs Bradley was in.

* * *

It had been four weeks since the murders started, and although they knew that someone was trying to create a philosopher's stone, there had been no progression in who, how, or why. There had still been no sightings of the murderer, but it was noted that their range was spreading, and that they only ever took place in dark locations.

It had also been noticed that Mrs Bradley and her entire guard unit was missing. They were currently being treated as a separate case, but Selim wondered how long it would take them to put together the time of her disappearance and the start of the murders.

"Pathetic," he said to himself with disgust, "They spend so much time and effort making sure that I can't leave, that I can't find out, yet it never occurs to them that I played a child for almost 100 years. I am perfectly capable of acting, yet they buy right into my facade. Pathetic. And what's worse is that they make no attempt to restrict my knowledge of the one thing that can restore my former glory. Shelves and shelves of books, so many of them filled with alchemy, and all the lives I need. Humans really are stupid creatures."

Hearing footsteps, Selim reverted to reading his book - one with a cover of '101 Fairy Tales' - when the door opened, exposing none other than the man who he had forced into opening the gate.

"Master Bradley," Mustang said, respectfully removing his hat and bowing, "Although I know you have already been informed, your mother is currently missing. Given the circumstances, you are been taken into State custody."

"So they noticed," Pride thought to himself, "Well I wonder how many of them suspect me. The General for certain, but what proof does he have?"

Putting down his book and getting out of the chair, Selim's eyes brimmed with tears, "B-but they are going to find mummy, right? S-she is coming back?"

Mustang knelt down to see eye to eye with the small child. Having never once truly believe his complete personality switch, he was not going to be fooled by his tears. But he was smarter than to let on that he obviously suspected him, so decided to play it dumb. For now.

"We don't know when your mummy will be coming back, but for now you have to stay with us, okay?"

"O-okay," Selim said as he walked off, holding Mustang's hand for extra effect. They could lock him up all they wanted. His main work was already complete. Even if they left him under bright lighting 24/7, they couldn't capture it. He had yet to give it a name, but it's destructive power was unsurpassed. And it had the ability to spawn hundreds, thousands of copies, and go completely unnoticed, whilst he gained all of the life energy that it stole. In a few years time, others would give it a name, one that would inspire fear in all those who knew it's owner. But for now, it remained unnamed and untamed. The Vashta Nerada.


	2. The Doctor Arrives

**Disclaimer: I own neither Doctor Who nor Fullmetal Alchemist, just the idea for this crossover.**

* * *

Pride was right in his thinking that they kept him under 24 hour lighting. Their reasoning was that all the attacks had happened in the dark, so naturally he should be kept well-lit. They weren't fooling anybody with that excuse, but for a four year old Selim, it easily sated him.

"Fools," he thought to himself, "They think that I haven't learnt? Leaving me alone was their biggest mistake, but then, what can you expect of such useless creatures. I suppose they think the killings will stop here. I am the culprit, after all. But I wonder what they will do when they start again, only this time worse."

Sat in his State appointed room, Selim had naught to do but read fairy tale books, and this time they were the real deal. But inside his head he was scheming, reviewing his work. There were no faults, no slip-ups that could endanger his work. Pride didn't do mistakes.

This new form of darkness was alive, and held no attachment to him, it was free to roam, to devour, it it would be when it had hatched. Using alchemy, Pride had given life to minuscule, soulless beings, using a similar creating method to the one that created him. Except there was no need for containers in this incidence. Only a tree to spawn in, to leach life from to get them started. And with such a large mansion at his disposal, Pride had access to many a tree.

1 week, maybe two before they started hatching? These beings were to be born with instruction to spread and kill many, but freeing him was their primary objective. Although he knew that he had left no traces, once the authorities discovered his Mother's disappearance, he would be taken into custody under one preface or another, so he was well prepare for the inevitable. But were the humans?

* * *

Mustang had called together another meeting of the State Alchemists after Selim's custodial 'imprisonment', but the numbers since the first meeting two weeks ago had been seriously depleted. The murder total had been increased to 432 people, as well as 73 reported missing persons. Most of the alchemists were too scared to take part in an investigation with such a great risk placed on their own lives.

It was now him, two new recruits who were only here as part of their initiation mission, and one solitary alchemist who Had a strange form of ID - a small wallet-style brown case with the State Alchemist symbol on it and his official alchemist title - The Doctor. Mustang assumed he was specialised in healing alchemy with a name like that.

"Alright, if we continue working on the theory that someone is trying to create a philosophers stone, then we need to scout out people who would have access to the information on how to create one. Very few people know that a philosopher's stone needs human lives, and even fewer would know the exact formulas for creating one. It would seem obvious to suspect those who have a previous involvement in this, but all those who worked towards using a philosopher's or creating one have been permanently detained or otherwise eliminated. It would seem that we need a new line of suspects, ones who haven't previously been under the government's watch."

"Ah, well, yes, it would seem that way," The Doctor piped up, "But are we really going to say that there is no one who could have done this who has done something similar before? And while we're at it, isn't it a bit presumptuous to say that it is just one person. To commit murders on such a large scale, surely they are working in a group?"

Mustang narrowed his eyes at this. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure he remembered him being at the original meeting. Couple that with his strange identification, and the fact that he wasn't in military uniform, he wasn't even sure that this guy was in the military at all. But if he wasn't, mustang knew that it would be more beneficially to him to hide his suspicions, at least for now.

"It is a possibility, however it would be hard for so many people to be working on this and have none of them caught. It would also be possible to have pre-positioned ready to go off and be activated from a long distance away, and have them made so that they would disappear before being discovered," Mustang explained calmly, "This was one of the topics for discussion at our first meeting. I am surprised you don't remember, Doctor."

"How silly of me, it must have slipped my mind," The Doctor withdrew, clearly not liking how Mustang had shot him down so quickly.

"Try to be more careful, we wouldn't want anything else slipping," Mustang said, staring him down as he did so. It seemed that with this man, revealing that you knew he was a fake was more effective than lying low. He decided that he would let him be for now, but he wasn't going to let him go without letting him know that he was being watched.

"I think we've done enough at this meeting," He sighed with exasperation, "I want you each to try and find circles that would be suitable for multiple long-range transmutations by Monday. You are dismissed." The 3 men began to leave, but before he could reach the door, Mustang's hand clamped around The Doctor's shoulder.

"If anything else slips your mind, I would advise you to have a better response ready, Doctor. It would be very harmful to the investigation if I could not trust all our members.

"I won't let anything else slip, you can be sure of it," The Doctor said as Mustang released his hand, letting him walk off down the corridors of Central Command.

"I'll know when you do," Mustang spoke ominously to himself. Turning to address Hawkeye, who had been on guard duty outside the meeting room, he was greeted with the usual salute.

"I would like you to get Breda and the others to start a surveillance watch on him. We can't allow any loose ends in this investigation. There have already been enough lives lost."

"Yes, sir," Hawkeye said, "I will get right on it."

* * *

In a tree in the Bradley house estate, there was a very faint tearing sound emanating from within it. If anyone had been looking, they would have noticed that the tree had an extra shadow.


	3. A Strange Encouter

**Disclaimer: I own neither Fullmetal Alchemist, nor Doctor Who**

* * *

Walking down the halls of Central Command towards the exit, The Doctor was mentally reviewing what he had learnt at the alchemist's meeting. He had expected to go unnoticed, or at the very least undetected at the meeting, but the General was sharper than he had imagined. This planet was very strange with it's alchemy, and he was wondering if the lead he had to come here to investigate the origins of the Vashta Nerada was right or not.

Regardless, he approached the exit, only to walk into a small child, who appeared to be lost and quite scared. Unable to turn away from a frightened child, the doctor knelt down and spoke to the small boy.

"Hello there, are you alright?" He asked softly, smiling gently at the child, "Are you lost?"

The little boy looked up, holding his hands together in the natural stance of a scared child, "I-I got lost and I don't know where my mummy is and there's lots of scary soldiers," the boy was verging on tears, and the doctor knew that he had to do something, he couldn't let a little boy cry.

"Tell you what, why don't you let me show you something," he said with a trace of excitement, still crouched, but now holding out his hand, "It'll be an adventure, okay?"

The little boy wiped away the forming tears and nodded, taking the doctor's hand and walking out with him. He still seemed quite scared, but he wasn't anywhere close to crying any more. Being so young, the Doctor figured that no-one who believe him if he told them he had been in a blue box that was bigger on the inside, and he could easily take him to his home and his mother.

"What's your name?" the Doctor asked, hoping to make the young boy feel more at ease.

" I'm Selim," He smiled up at the Doctor and said.

* * *

Pride could not believe how stupid this man was. Anyone who had a speck of knowledge about Central would know that kids can't just wander into Command, and they certainly wouldn't take them out again. This man was obviously an outsider, and Pride had managed to keep his ugly forehead circle concealed by his hair, so he really could pass as a lost child to anyone stupid enough.

"Well, Selim, I have something fantastic to show you," the Doctor told him happily, as they approached a large blue police box. It was situated at the entrance of an alley that branched off from the road they were walking on. It looked rather worn down, as though it had been sat in that alley for a long time, yet it looked out of place. If was darker than the military blue, but anyone walking past it could have mistaken it for an old military box.

Selim was amazed at how dense this man was. He was practically abducting a child, and he either didn't realise it or didn't think anyone else would either. Selim was curious, however. This was a man who had managed to infiltrate the military, and even if he was a human, he could use him as an ally. Even if in the end he just became another soul to fuel his philosopher's stone. Still, if becoming his ally was impossible, then Selim could simply take what he needed from him. This blue box for example. The more Selim looked at it, the stranger it became. It said it was a Public Police Box, but in his hundreds of years 'alive', he had never even heard talk of the commissioning of these public police boxes.

The man with him seemed anxious to open it up, but also to give Selim appropriate time to take in the exterior. As a four year old, Selim himself was eager to get inside, and turned his eager face to this man.

"Can we go in?" his small voice asked with excitement, fixating him with his large, dark, almost sparkling eyes, "Please?"

Smiling both at him and to himself, the man produced a small key from his jacket. Winking at Selim, he put the key into the lock, and pushed the door inwards. Unseen to the doctor at this point, a second shadow formed behind the door of his blue box. But Pride noticed. And so he stepped inside this blue box, knowing that the battle was won from the moment he implanted the seeds of darkness in his garden trees.

* * *

The day that the darkness began to grown outside the tree was the day that Pride was freed. It stalked across the walls of buildings, slunk along shadows, and delicately returned to it's creator. Although created with the vicious ability to kill, Pride was not a fool. If the death style suddenly changed, not only would the first areas to be affect surround the Bradley house, but it would be almost be impossible to recapture and train the creatures to his will. And he could not forget that he would almost certainly be captured before they hatched.

And so they were programmed, as it were, to return to their master as soon as they were born, an inbuilt tracking system that lead them straight to him, tailored to avoid and hide from humans, so as to go undetected and retrieve him safely. In their arrival, the small swarm went unnoticed by the guards, but that was until the very moments of their death. With 2 guards stood outside of his cell, they were under strict instructions not to allow anyone to enter the vicinity unless they had the approval of the general. Shadows aren't people, however, and it wasn't long before they developed second shadows and were reduced to a pile of bones.

Under further instructions, they attempted to devour the skeletons of the poor men, but to no avail. Pride was mildly disgruntled, as this mean that they were unable to cut through his bars, but their clothes still remained, and they each had a pen. Ripping a page from one of his books, he reached his hand through the bar and pulled on of the skeletal remains close enough to retrieve a pen. He quickly drew a transmutation circle to reduce the bars to dust, and then drew another to do the same to the guards. Then he reached up and turned out the lights.

In his developed understanding of alchemy, Pride's new form did not need to retain its humanoid shape, so he quickly slunk into the shadows. However, because creating his new darkness had used up a sizeable portion of his newly created philosophers stone, he could not maintain his 'shadow form' as he had decided to call it, for very long. This meant that partway down the corridor, he had to transform back into Selim Bradley who had a thick layer of darkness coating him under his clothes. Shortly after his transformation, he decided that the best tactic to adopt in this situation would be 'lost and scared', as not many people knew he was even in central, let alone locked up in command.

This, of course, led to the meeting with someone else who was not supposed to be there, and someone who would probably regret their decision to help out this small child and let them see their Blue Box.

* * *

**A/N Sorry this took so long the first two chapters were written during my half term and then school started and so much work to do so I never really got round to working on it. There will probably be a lot more installments soon as I'm now on Easter break, so stay tuned!**

**Also, I have left out physical descriptions of the Doctor as I have yet to decide if it is going to be 10 or 11. If you have any preferences, please tell me and I'll try and make it that Doctor. Furthermore, I am considering making someone from the FMA world a companion in a few chapters down the line, so any thoughts on who it should be, please tell me!**


End file.
